In general, known ear protection can be in the form of an earplug or an ear muff (for example, a head-phone). The earplugs are inserted into the ear canal of an ear. The earplugs can include a narrower internal portion for insertion into the ear canal and a wider external portion. The wider external portion can be secured by urging a tragus of the ear away from the ear canal. These earplugs can result in foreign objects (for example, oil, dirt, water, and/or bacteria) being introduced into the ear canal. These earplugs suffer from the drawback that they can be uncomfortable. For example, sleeping with the head positioned on its side can result in pressure upon the ear canal. Also, repetitive use of these earplugs may increase risk of infection. Furthermore, these earplugs can be ineffective in certain environments. For example, known earplugs are rated below a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 33. As used herein, the term “noise reduction rating” or “NRR” refers to ANSI S3.19-1974, “American National Standard for the Measurement of Real-Ear Hearing Protector Attenuation and Physical Attenuation of Earmuffs,”specified by 40 C.F.R., Pt. 211, Product Noise Labeling, Subpart B—Hearing Protection Devises.
In general, ear muffs include a large generally circular geometry for covering the entire ear. These ear muffs are large, can be uncomfortable, and can involve complex electronics. The size and shape of these ear muffs prevents comfortable use for sleeping, are visually unappealing, and can be expensive due to the amount of material necessary to effectively protect the ear. In general, known ear muffs are rated below a noise reduction rating of 33. In addition, ear muffs having noise reduction ratings above noise reduction rating 25 can cost hundreds of dollars.
What is needed is a method and article of protecting an ear from noise or external objects that can prevent the introduction of foreign objects into the ear, can reduce the intensity of sound audible to the ear, is comfortable, and is inexpensive.